Method and Apparatus for Handling Data and Aircraft Employing Same

ABSTRACT

These teachings present triple data transport redundancy in the form of three data bus interfaces that are each designed and manufactured independently from one another and compatible with a common data handling protocol. This protocol can be one that includes no error correction. These interfaces can each couple to a corresponding first, second, and third data bus that may comprise optical data busses. Information gauges can be realized through use a memory that stores a plurality of images comprising views of an information gauge (or gauges) of interest showing a variety of different readings. Upon receiving information regarding a monitored parameter of interest (via, for example, the aforementioned data busses and data bus interfaces), this information can be used to address the stored information gauge view that corresponds to the present parameter value. That particular view can be recalled and displayed to thereby provide the corresponding information to a viewer.

RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/430,437 entitled APPARATUS AND METHOD PERTAINING TO LIGHT-BASED POWERDISTRIBUTION IN A VEHICLE as was filed on Apr. 27, 2009 which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/549,887 entitledAPPARATUS AND METHOD PERTAINING TO LIGHT-BASED POWER DISTRIBUTION IN AVEHICLE and filed on Oct. 16, 2006.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to data handling.

BACKGROUND

Data-based components, platforms, methods, and techniques are ubiquitousin modern technology. A vast array of devices of various kinds andcategories source, receive, transport, and/or otherwise rely, one way orthe other, upon data. Such data may, for example, comprise statusinformation, command and control information, or user/applicationcontent. Numerous data handling protocols exist to facilitate themovement of such data including any number of signaling protocols.

Aircraft comprise a particularly challenging example in this regard.Modern aircraft include a large number of data producing and data usingcomponents. In many cases the information in question is important oreven critical to the proper and safe operation of the aircraft. As aresult, a number of practices are observed to ensure the operationalintegrity of the aircraft notwithstanding potential problems that mightfrom time to time arise.

As one example, aircraft typically employ a redundant data busarchitecture. Important data travels from one point to another via eachof a first and a second data bus. During operation, the data carried bya first one of these data busses will be used to the exclusion of thedata carried by the remaining bus unless and until that first data busexhibits sufficiently degraded or failed operability. To protect thedata (at least to some extent) and also to facilitate the detection ofsuch degradation/failure, relatively elaborate and intense errorcorrection/detection data handling protocols are employed in conjunctionwith these data busses.

Though an acceptable safe data handling architecture can be achievedusing this approach, the challenges and costs are relatively high. Thecopper alone that comprises these data busses can weigh a good deal andthe connectors that are typically employed to couple the data handlingcomponents also contribute significantly in this regard. This weight, inturn, reduces the passenger/cargo-handling capacity of the aircraft,often by considerable amounts.

Another challenge and set of costs corresponds to the development of thesoftware that facilitates the protected nature of the data handlingprotocol. Very high standards are applied with respect to thepredictability and reliability of software intended for use in the datahandling functionality of a modern aircraft. This, in turn, typicallytranslates into very high development and testing costs for suchsoftware. Some estimates indicate that every single line of fielded codefor a modern airplane costs in the neighborhood of one hundred and sixtydollars (leading to an aggregate cost, in some cases, of more thaneighty million dollars).

Such costs arise, of course, because software seems necessary at everyturn in a modern aircraft. Not only is considerable software dedicatedas noted to ensuring the reliable transport of data from one componentto another, considerable additional software finds application in thecockpit. That a typical aircraft cockpit displays a large and denselypacked number of information gauges is axiomatic. As aircraftmanufacturers strive to move away from mechanical information gauges forany number of good and valid reasons, the replacement of such mechanicalsystems with modern electronic displays has brought with it acorresponding voracious appetite for yet more software to translateincoming data into displayable content.

An interesting point exists in this regard that itself speaks volumesregarding the difficulties of achieving and maintaining desired levelsof reliability using the aforementioned approaches. Notwithstanding theuse of redundant data busses as noted, and notwithstanding all of theadvances made over the years with respect to the power and reliabilityof error correction and error detection-capable data handling protocols,the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States still requiresthat an aircraft having an otherwise non-mechanical set of informationgauges must still nevertheless also have a mechanical gauge for each ofairspeed information, altimeter information, and attitude information.As such mechanical information gauges are provided for both the pilotand co-pilot position, the total weight often attributed to such systemsis often in the neighborhood of eighty pounds; this is weight-carryingcapacity that every aircraft designer and operator would like to seereturned. Present solutions, however, are simply not reliable enough towarrant the removal of such mechanical information gauges from thedesign of a modern aircraft.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above needs are at least partially met through provision of themethod and apparatus for handling data and aircraft employing samedescribed in the following detailed description, particularly whenstudied in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with variousembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 2 comprises a block diagram as configured in accordance withvarious embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 3 comprises a block diagram as configured in accordance withvarious embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 4 comprises a block diagram as configured in accordance withvarious embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 5 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with variousembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 6 comprises a block diagram as configured in accordance withvarious embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 7 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with variousembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 8 comprises a schematic diagrammatic view as configured inaccordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 9 comprises a schematic diagrammatic view as configured inaccordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 10 comprises a block diagram as configured in accordance withvarious embodiments of the invention; and

FIG. 11 comprises a block diagram as configured in accordance withvarious embodiments of the invention.

Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures areillustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily beendrawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioningof some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative toother elements to help to improve understanding of various embodimentsof the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements thatare useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are oftennot depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of thesevarious embodiments of the present invention. It will further beappreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described ordepicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in theart will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence isnot actually required. It will also be understood that the terms andexpressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to suchterms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respectiveareas of inquiry and study except where specific meanings have otherwisebeen set forth herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Generally speaking, pursuant to these various embodiments, variousapproaches are employed to improve the reliability of data transport andreception and/or to reduce the usage of software and/or weighty copper.By one approach, these approaches can include triple data transportredundancy in the form of a first, second, and third data bus interfacethat are each compatible for use with a common data handling protocoland where each data bus interface is designed and manufacturedindependently from one another. If desired, this aforementioned datahandling protocol can be configured and arranged to make no provisionfor error correction (including error detection). By one approach, theseinterfaces can couple, in turn, to a corresponding first, second, andthird data bus. These data busses can comprise optical data busses ifdesired.

As yet another illustrative approach in these regards, informationgauges can be realized through use of one or more memories that store aplurality of images that comprise views of the information gauge (orgauges) of interest showing a variety of different readings. Uponreceiving information regarding a monitored parameter of interest (via,for example, the aforementioned data busses and data bus interfaces),this information can be used to address the stored information gaugeview that corresponds to the present value of the monitored parameter.That particular information gauge view can then be recalled anddisplayed to thereby provide the corresponding information to a viewer.

When employed as part of an aircraft's informational transport and usagearchitecture, these approaches can lead to a significant reduction inweight (and volume) while also leading to improved reliability. Perhapsof at least similar importance, these important benefits seem achievableat a considerably lesser cost than is ordinarily associated with today'ssolutions.

These and other benefits may become clearer upon making a thoroughreview and study of the following detailed description. Referring now tothe drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, by one approach, theseteachings incorporate the provision 101 of a first data bus interfacethat is compatible with a given data handling protocol. This first databus interface can comprise, if desired, an optical data bus interfaceand, more particularly, a polymer optical data bus interface that issuitable for use in conjunction with polymer optical fiber-based databusses. If desired, this first data bus interface can comprise afull-duplex optical data bus interface. By one approach, the data busitself will comprise a ring-configured data bus. In such a case, thisfirst data bus interface can comprise a ring interface. If desired, thisfirst data bus interface can be configured and arranged to transmitsubstantially similar data (including identical data) in opposingdirections of such a ring-configured data bus substantiallysimultaneously.

The aforementioned data handling protocol can comprise, if desired, asimple data handling protocol. Any of a wide variety of modulationtechniques as are presently known (or that will likely be developedhereafter) can be employed in this regard as these teachings are notoverly sensitive to specific selections amongst such options. By oneapproach, the data handling protocol can essentially comprise a directone-for-one representation of the information to be conveyed with littleor no error correction. (As used herein, those skilled in the art willunderstand and recognize that “error correction” serves as a referenceto protocol-based error mitigation, error detection, and errorcorrection, which concepts are well understood in the art and require nofurther elaboration here.)

These teachings will then further optionally accommodate connecting 102this first data bus interface to a first data bus (such as an opticaldata bus as will be described in greater detail further below) that usesthe aforementioned data handling protocol.

In this illustrative example, this process next provides for provision103 of a second data bus interface that is also compatible with thissame data handling protocol. In this case, however, this second data businterface is designed and manufactured independently from the first databus interface described above. There are various ways to achieve thisresult. By one approach, two different design teams are each providedwith a common set of design requirements. These design requirements canprovide necessary specifications regarding such things as the datahandling protocol itself, the physical nature and parameters of the databus to which these data bus interfaces will connect, form factorrequirements regarding, for example, size and weight limitations,performance requirements, environmental requirements, specificationsregarding quality, mean time to failure, and so forth, costrequirements, manufacturability requirements and materials limitations,and so forth. If desired, such design requirements can also stipulate,or prohibit, the use of specific components, specific manufacturers ofcomponents, sub-assemblies, and/or final assemblies, specificmanufacturing processes, and so forth.

So approached, the first and second data bus interface are highlyunlikely to share and/or experience a common mode failure. That is, bothinterfaces are unlikely to both fail at the same time in response to asame set of conditions aside from physically catastrophic events thatmight simultaneously occur to both interfaces (such as a nearbyexplosion of serious proportions or the like). For example, though oneinterface might conceivable fail due to some unique environmentalcircumstance, some unexpected data event, or some accumulated conditionover time, the remaining interface is unlikely to also fail, at the sametime, in response to these same conditions. At least one significantbenefit of this approach will be made clearer below.

As with the first data bus interface, this process will optionallyaccommodate connecting 104 this second data bus interface to acorresponding data bus. By one approach, this data bus can be discretewith respect to the aforementioned first data bus but will stillpreferably be compatible with the data handling protocol mentionedabove.

These same steps are then essentially repeated through provision 105 ofa third data bus interface that is again compatible with this datahandling protocol but that is itself designed and manufacturedindependently of both the first and second data bus interfaces followed,optionally, by connection 106 of this third data bus interface to acorresponding data bus that employs the above-described data handlingprotocol. And again, if desired, this data bus to which the third databus interface connects can itself be discrete with respect to thepreviously mentioned data busses.

If desired, yet further data bus interfaces can be provided to furthersupplement the first, second, and third data bus interfaces noted above.For most purposes, however, there seems little practical value toproviding additional interfaces in this regard. As used herein, thesethree independently designed and manufactured data bus interfaces appearsufficient to provide an extremely high level of operationalreliability.

This process then provides for operably coupling 107 the first, second,and third data bus interface to at least one aircraft component suchthat this at least one aircraft component can interface with at leastone data bus via the data handling protocol using at least one (and,more typically, all) of the first, second, and third data businterfaces. Referring momentarily to FIG. 2, a corresponding aircraftdata bus interface can be seen to comprise a first, second, and thirddata bus interface 201A-201C that each connect to a data bus 202 (ordata busses as suggested above) and to an aircraft component interface204. The latter, in turn, couples to a corresponding aircraft component203.

There are no particular limitations with respect to the nature of theaircraft component 203 itself though this aircraft component 203 may beexpect to essentially comprise, one way or the other, a data-basedcomponent. That is, the aircraft component 203 will typically source,relay, process, receive, store, and/or use information. Examplesinclude, but are certainly not limited to, airspeed sensors, altitudesensors, beacon signal receivers, wireless transmitters, radar, fuellevel sensors, engine operational parameters sensors of various kinds,informational displays, and so forth.

As shown, there can be a one-to-one connection between a given aircraftcomponent 203 and its corresponding aircraft component interface 204.Other possibilities exist in this regard, however. For example, ifdesired, the aircraft component interface could itself couple to anotherdata bus that comprises the backbone of a local area network shared by aplurality of aircraft components. These teachings are readily compatiblewith such alternative architectures.

So configured, those skilled in the art will understand and recognizethat this aircraft component 203 has access to a data path to facilitateits data transmission and/or reception activities via any or all of thethree data bus interfaces 201A-201C. As described above, these threedata bus interfaces 201A-201C are each designed and manufacturedindependently from one another and are therefore highly unlikely tosuffer a shared failure mode. As a result, it should be highly unlikelythat such an aircraft component 203 will lose its access to the data bus(or busses) 202.

The availability of three data bus interfaces as described (andparticularly when used in conjunction with three correspondingindependent data busses) offers further opportunities for improvedreliability when viewed from the standpoint of receiving data via thatbus (or busses) 202. Referring again to FIG. 1, in such a case, theseteachings will further optionally accommodate operably coupling 108 thefirst, second, and third data bus interfaces as well as the aircraftcomponent to a shared data processor. So configured, such a shared dataprocessor can then be optionally used 109 to consolidate incoming datafrom the first, second, and third data bus interfaces.

This can comprise, as but one example in this regard, substantiallyaveraging the incoming data from these data bus interfaces to provide aresultant averaged data value(s) for presentation to the correspondingaircraft component. If desired, this can further comprise determiningwhether the incoming data from each of the first, second, and third databus interfaces is within a predetermined range of one another. In a casewhere significantly outlying data exists, for example, this process willaccommodate not using incoming data from the data bus interface that isassociated with data that is not within this predetermined range. Theextent of this range can vary with the needs, requirements, and/oropportunities as characterize a given application setting. For example,in one setting, a relatively small range (such as 1% of an averagevalue) may be used while another setting might permit a relativelylarger range (such as 5% of an average value).

To illustrate, and referring now to FIG. 3, such a shared data processor301 can be disposed between the aforementioned data bus interfaces201A-201C and aircraft component interface 204. The shared dataprocessor 301 can be comprised of a fully or partially programmableplatform, such as a microprocessor, if desired. Preferably, however, theshared data process 301 (as well as the other elements and componentsreferred to above) comprises a softwareless platform; that is, acomponent that operates with hard-embodied logic and/or in the absenceof logic (when possible). Such approaches and platforms are known in theart. Examples presently include, but are not limited to, fieldprogrammable gate arrays, application specific integrated circuits,programmable logic devices, and so forth. As will be well understood bythose skilled in the art, such platforms are readily configured tooperate as described herein.

So configured, such a shared data processor 301 can greatly increase thelikely accuracy of received data. Present approaches in this regardfavor the use of a single incoming data stream unless and until thatdata stream exhibits clear signs of degradation. The shared dataprocessor approach, however, permits three incoming data values for agiven parameter to each be used when arriving at a composite conclusionregarding a value to be used for that given parameter. So long as thosethree data values are each within some acceptable range, that compositeresult (such as, for example, a simple average of the three profferedvalues) will often comprise a statistically more valid result than anyone of those individual data values considered in isolation.

In the embodiments shown in each of FIGS. 2 and 3, the three avenues ofdata movement represented by the first, second, and third data businterfaces 201A-201C are effectively multiplexed/demultiplexed in amanner that is transparent to the aircraft component 203. By theapproach shown in FIG. 2, the aircraft component interface 204 servesthis purpose while the approach shown in FIG. 3 employs the shared dataprocessor 301 to this end. Such approaches are particularly useful whenapplied in conjunction with legacy aircraft components that have only asingle input and/or output portal. The present teachings are alsoreadily applied, however, in conjunction with an aircraft component thatis more specifically designed to operate seamlessly with theseteachings. In such a case, the aircraft component could be itselfconfigured to effectively include the aforementioned aircraft componentinterface and/or the shared data processor. By this approach, theaircraft component would be capable of coupling to and using the threedata bus interfaces in a more integrated fashion.

In the examples illustrated above, the data bus 202 has been shown as asingle data bus. As is also noted above, however, each of the data businterfaces 201A-201C can connect to a separate data bus. For example,and referring now to FIG. 4, each of the data bus interfaces 201A-201Ccan couple to an individually discrete data bus (represented here by afirst optical data bus 202A, a second optical data bus 202B, and a thirdoptical data bus 202C). In this particular illustrative embodiment, eachsuch data bus comprises a full-duplex data bus. There are various waysto achieve such a result. By one approach, for example, different lightfrequencies can be employed as data bearing carriers in opposingdirections of the optical pathway that comprises the data bus. Byanother approach, each such data bus can itself be comprised of two ormore independent optical fibers. For example, a first optical fiber ascomprises, say, the first optical data bus 202A can be used for datamoving in a first direction and a second, different optical fiber asalso comprises that first optical data bus 202A can be used for datathat moves in an opposite direction.

As is also noted above and as is illustrated here, each of these databus interfaces 201A-201C comprises a fully bi-directional interface. Soconfigured, incoming data can enter the data bus interface and beaccordingly processed from either side of the optical data bus.Similarly, outgoing data can exit the data bus interface and entereither and/or both sides of the optical data bus.

To facilitate such agility, and with continued reference to FIG. 4, eachof the data bus interfaces (such as, for example, the first data businterface 201A) can be comprised of two optical bus interfaces 401 thatare configured and positioned to interface with both sides of the firstoptical data bus 202A. Each such data bus interface can also comprise,when appropriate, a logic component 402 that couples between theseoptical bus interfaces 401 and the aforementioned shared data processor301 and/or aircraft component interface 204. Such logic can beconfigured and arranged to, for example, read and recognize destinationaddresses and/or source addresses, time stamps, and so forth as mayaccompany a given data transmission.

Such logic can also be configured to forward data intended for itsparticular aircraft component via the aircraft component interface 204to that aircraft component interface 204 (and/or the shared dataprocessor 301 when such is present), with or without temporary bufferingof that data as may be appropriate to a given application setting. In asimilar manner, such logic can be configured to receive data from itsaircraft component and to parse, arrange, aggregate, concatenate, and/orotherwise prepare such data for transmission in a manner that iscompatible with the aforementioned data handling protocol. This can alsoinclude, as appropriate, adding additional information to such a datapacket including such items as a source identifier, a destinationidentifier, a time stamp, and so forth.

As mentioned above, by one approach these constituent components of eachdata bus interface 201A-201C are designed and manufactured independentlyof one another. As a result, for example, the optical bus interfaces ofthe first data bus interface 201A are different from the optical businterfaces of the second or third data bus interfaces 201B and 201C. Asanother example, the logic unit as comprises a part of each of the threedata bus interfaces 201A-201C are also each different from the othertwo.

It is also possible that the means of coupling these components togetherwill vary from interface to interface as well. As but one illustrationin this regard, the first data bus interface 201A may employ aparticular lightpipe material and design to couple the optical businterfaces 401 to the logic unit 402 while the second data bus interface201B may instead provide for converting the optical data as is receivedvia an optical bus interface 401 into an electrical corollary that isthen provided to the logic unit 402 via a corresponding electricalconductor.

As noted above, these teachings will accommodate the use of data bussesthat comprise a plurality of independent optical data busses. To providefurther examples in that regard, and referring now to FIG. 5, theseteachings will accommodate (in, for example, an aircraft) operablycoupling 501 a first optical data bus to each of a plurality ofdata-based aircraft components, operably coupling 502 a second opticaldata bus to each of those same data-based aircraft components, and againoperably coupling 503 a third optical data bus to each of those samedata-based aircraft components. By one approach, each of these opticaldata busses is independent and discrete of the others. If desired, theseteachings would readily accommodate providing additional optical databusses that are similarly coupled. In general, however, three suchoptical data busses should be sufficient for most if not all applicationpurposes.

FIG. 6 presents an illustrative example in this regard. In thisillustrative example, each of the optical data busses 202A-202Ccomprises a full-duplex optical data bus made of one or more plasticoptical fibers (and/or a polymer optical film waveguide) that employs acommon data handling protocol (i.e., a same data handling protocol). Byone approach, as noted earlier above, this data handling protocol cancomprise a relatively simple protocol that eschews, for example, makingprovision for any error correcting capability or functionality. In theembodiment shown, each such optical data bus 202A-202C also comprises aseparate ring-configured optical data bus.

Each of these optical data busses 202A-202C operably couples (via, forexample, interfaces 601A-601C such as, but not limited to, thosedescribed above) to each of a plurality of data-based aircraftcomponents (represented here by a first data-based aircraft component203A through an Nth data-based aircraft component 203B where “N” shallbe understood to refer to an integer value greater than one). Soconfigured, as will be well understood by those skilled in the art, anygiven such data-based aircraft component can transmit data via each ofthree separately designed and manufactured data bus interfaces and viaeach of three separate and discrete data busses to another data-basedaircraft component.

Notwithstanding that the data-handling protocol employed by each of thedata busses may be utterly bereft of any native error correctioncapability or support, these measures are viewed as being sufficient tovirtually guarantee reliable conveyance and receipt of such informationeven in the absence of such measures. Though a given event or conditionmay impair or prohibit a given one of the interfaces from properlyeffecting these tasks, it is highly unlikely that all three of theinterfaces for any given one of the data-based aircraft components willbe similarly impaired in response to the same failure mode.

Similarly, though some event or condition may break or otherwise disrupta given one of the data busses, it is unlikely that all three of thedata busses will be similarly disrupted at the same time (presuming, ofcourse, that alternative routing techniques are employed for each suchdata bus). Furthermore, even if a given event did succeed in breachingall three data busses, the bi-directional functionality and capabilityof each of the data busses continues to ensure that data will continueto reach its intended destination. So configured, all three data bussesmust be breached or broken on both sides of a given aircraft componentin order to successfully isolate that aircraft component from thedata-bearing infrastructure of the aircraft. So long as even only one ofthe data busses survives intact, that aircraft component may continue toremain operationally effective.

Referring now to FIG. 7, yet other approaches towards dealing with thepreviously mentioned challenges will be presented. In particular, FIG. 7presents an illustrative example of ways by which certain data-basedaircraft components, and particularly information gauge displays, canhave reduced (or effectively eliminated) software content, copper-baseddata pipelines, and so forth.

By this approach, one provides 701 a memory having a plurality of imagesstored therein. This plurality of images comprises a view of at leastone information gauge at a variety of different readings. To illustrate,and now making momentary reference to FIG. 8, this can comprise aplurality of views 801-803 of a given information gauge where the viewsdiffer from one another with respect to the gauge reading. By oneapproach, essentially all practically possible gauge readings arerepresented in this manner. Accordingly, by this approach, the memorycontains a view of the information gauge at each reading as correspondsto a given range of readings and a desired degree of precision.

These teachings are readily applied with any of a wide variety of imagetypes. By one approach, these images can comprise photographic images ofthe corresponding information gauge at the different readings. Byanother approach, these images can comprise virtual renderings of theinformation gauge at the variety of different readings. By yet anotherapproach, these images can comprise a composite of both real and virtualimages (for example, the gauge representation itself can comprise aphotographic image while the value indicator comprises a virtualelement).

It would of course be possible for this memory to contain a set ofimages for more than one information gauge. By one approach this mightcomprise information gauges for differing types of information. Byanother approach this might comprise information gauges for a same typeof information. By way of illustration, and referring now momentarily toFIG. 9, this can comprise providing a first set of information gaugeimages as correspond to what appears to be an analog information gauge901 and a second set of information gauges as correspond to what appearsto be a digital information gauge, where both information gauges relateinformation regarding a same metric, data value, or operationalparameter.

Those skilled in the art will recognize and understand that, as usedherein, the expression “information gauge” encompasses a wide variety ofinformation-imparting contrivances. These include, but are not limitedto, both analog and digital gauges of various traditional kinds as wellas presently less common examples such as heads-up displays or othercomposite presentations where the gauge information is presented incombination with other information (such as an actual or virtual view ofa forward view out the cockpit windows). The information conveyed canalso vary in form and substance in various ways. For example, theinformation conveyed can comprise a simple numerical value. As anotherexample, however, the information conveyed can instead comprise anon-numeric indication (corresponding, for example, to a textual oriconic representation of such things as a sense of “full” or “empty,”“safe” or “dangerous,” or “normal” or “abnormal,” to note but a fewexamples in this regard). It is also possible for such information tocomprise yet other kinds of data such as, for example, a virtualrepresentation of the location of a landing strip that is overlaid on anactual view of the corresponding terrain.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the above-described memoryis readily enabled using any of a wide variety of available and/orreadily configured storage platforms of various type, capacity,volatility, and so forth. It will also be understood that the referenceto a “memory” may comprise a reference to a single storage platform orto a plurality of storage platforms as may be available when using adistributed storage architecture.

Referring again to FIG. 7, this process then also provides 702 a displaythat is operably coupled to this memory. In an aircraft, such a displayis likely to be provided in the aircraft cockpit to enable its use byrelevant flight personnel. The display itself can comprise any of a widevariety of displays that are presently known or that are hereafterdeveloped, provided that display is capable of presenting a rendering ofthe aforementioned information gauge images as per these teachings. Someexamples would include, but are not limited to, tube-based displays,flat panel displays, and heads-up displays of various kinds The displaymay be true color, multi-chromatic, chromatic or monochromatic asdesired. As these teachings are relatively insensitive to the selectionof any particular choice in this regard, for the sake of brevity furtherelaboration in this regard will not be presented here.

Pursuant to these teachings, upon being provided 703 with informationregarding a given monitored parameter (such as, for example, a monitoredavionics parameter such as airspeed), this information is used 704 as anaddress for the aforementioned memory. That is, the value of theparameter of interest is itself correlated to the address of theinformation gauge view that itself corresponds to that parameter value.By one approach, when the memory addressing scheme permits, this cancomprise a literal one-for-one correlation. In other instances where thememory addressing scheme is incompatible for whatever reason with suchan approach, a simple look-up table corollary can be used to correlatethe parameter value with the corresponding information gauge image.

Having established the memory address using the received parameter valueinformation, one then accesses 705 the memory to thereby retrieve andprovide a view of the information gauge having a reading thatsubstantially corresponds to this information. The aforementioneddisplay can then display 706 this particular information gauge view tothereby provide the information regarding the monitored parameter to aviewer.

By one approach, the aforementioned information regarding a monitoredparameter is received on a relatively frequent basis in what amounts tosubstantially real time. So configured, the aforementioned stepsregarding use of the information to specify a particular memory addressfollowed by accessing the memory to retrieve and display thecorresponding information gauge view can be repeated on a relativelyregular basis (thereby achieving, for example, a 60 Hz refresh rate). Soconfigured, a highly compelling and realistic presentation of aninformation gauge that smoothly tracks, in substantial real time, theparameter of interest can be achieved.

By way of further illustration, and referring now to FIG. 10, aninterface 601 (such as, for example, an aircraft data bus interface ashas been described above) can couple to a data bus 202 to therebyreceive monitored parameter information of interest. This can comprise,as noted, essentially real-time information regarding a presentlymonitored parameter such as a monitored avionics parameter of interest.This interface 601 couples to a memory access module 1002 that in turncouples to the aforementioned memory 1001 (or memories as the case maybe) that contains the aforementioned information gauge views. Thismemory access module 1002 is configured and arranged to facilitate thesteps described above. This can comprise, in particular, receiving themonitored parameter information, using that information as an addressfor the memory, and accessing the memory using that address to provide aview of the information having a reading that substantially correspondsto the information to a corresponding display 1003.

Consistent with these teachings, if desired, this memory access module1002 (like the interface 601 itself) can comprise a softwarelesscomponent. This can again be realized using hard-wired logic asnecessary to achieve the described functionality.

These various teachings can be individually applied with significantbenefits being attained. In the aggregate, however, the results appeareven more dramatic. To illustrate, and referring now to FIG. 11, a givenaircraft 1101 can have a data bus architecture as described above thatcomprises three separate and discrete optical data busses 202A-202C thatare each configured as a ring and that each accommodate bi-directionaldata transmissions using a shared data handling protocol that lacksnative error correction functionality and capability. A plurality ofdata base interfaces 201A-201C are then used to connect each of theseseparate optical data busses 202A-202C to each of a plurality ofaircraft components, including aircraft components 203A that sourcedata, aircraft components 203B that both source and receive data, andaircraft components that receive data (such as the aircraft componentsdepicted in FIG. 11 that reside within the aircraft cockpit 1102).

In this illustrative embodiment, the aircraft components that receivedata are shown as further being deployed in conjunction with theaforementioned shared data processors 301A-301B to facilitate theaggregated processing and use of the incoming redundant data streamsprior to passing a corresponding representative parameter value to thecorresponding aircraft component. This illustrative embodiment alsodepicts one of the aircraft components as comprising, in the aggregate,a memory access module 1002, an information gauge views-containingmemory 1001, and display 1003 as described above.

So configured, for example, monitored parameter information as sourcedby a first aircraft component 203A is transmitted via each of theseparate optical data busses 202A-202C using, with each such data bus, aseparately designed and manufactured data bus interface 201A-201C. Thisinformation can be received and evaluated by a given shared dataprocessor 301A to provide a corresponding representative value that isbased on the value received via each of the three data busses 202A-202Cto the memory access module 1002. The latter then uses thatrepresentative value to address the memory 1001 and thereby causeprovision of a particular information gauge view to be displayed on thecockpit display 1003.

The extensive substitution of optical fiber for copper conductors insuch a deployment can lead to large weight savings for the resultantaircraft. The design and makeup of the data-bearing infrastructure isseen to provide for a level of robustness and reliability that shouldreadily support dispensing with error correcting data handlingprotocols. This, in turn, permits considerably simplified logic and datahandling functionality which then leads to a genuine opportunity tofield data-handling platforms that are devoid of software. This lack ofsoftware requirements can then lead to enormous savings with respect tothe cost of developing, testing, debugging, and deploying such a systemas compared to traditional practice in this regard.

These benefits extend directly into the cockpit of the aircraft wherefully virtual information gauges are offered in a manner that againeschews the need for much overhead software. In fact, taken as anaggregation of practices, these teachings provide for a data-bearingtransport system of such high reliability (based upon this combinationof redundancies, simplicity, minimized common mode failureopportunities, and software avoidance) that it should now be possible todesign, build, and deploy aircraft as shown that lack any mechanicalgauges whatsoever, including the standby mechanical gauges that arepresently required using traditional practices.

Taken as a whole or individually, these teachings provide a significantopportunity to reduce the weight required by such systems, to improvethe reliability by which data is transported from one place to another,and to greatly reduce the costs and time requirements of designing anaircraft that makes use of these teachings.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety ofmodifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect tothe above described embodiments without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention, and that such modifications, alterations, andcombinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventiveconcept.

1. A method comprising: in an aircraft: operably coupling a firstoptical data bus to each of a plurality of data-based aircraftcomponents; operably coupling a second optical data bus to each of theplurality of data-based aircraft components, wherein the second opticaldata bus is discrete with respect to the first optical data bus;operably coupling a third optical data bus to each of the plurality ofdata-based aircraft components, wherein the third optical data bus isdiscrete with respect to the first and the second optical data bus. 2.The method of claim 1 wherein the first, second, and third optical databus each comprises a full-duplex optical data bus.
 3. The method ofclaim 1 wherein the first, second, and third optical data bus are eachcompatible with a common data handling protocol.
 4. The method of claim3 wherein the common data handling protocol makes no provision for errorcorrecting.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first, second, andthird optical data bus each comprises a separate ring-configured opticaldata bus.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first, second, and thirdoptical data bus are each comprised of plastic optical fiber.
 7. Themethod of claim 1 wherein the first, second, and third optical data busare each comprised of polymer optical film waveguide
 8. The method ofclaim 1 further comprising: operably coupling a first data bus interfacebetween the first optical data bus and a given one of the plurality ofdata-based aircraft components; operably coupling a second data businterface between the second optical data bus and the given one of theplurality of data-based aircraft components, wherein the second data businterface has been designed and manufactured independently from thefirst data bus interface; operably coupling a third data bus interfacebetween the third optical data bus and the given one of the plurality ofdata-based aircraft components, wherein the third data bus interface hasbeen designed and manufactured independently from the first and thesecond data bus interface.
 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the first,second, and third data bus interface are each compatible with a commondata handling protocol.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the commondata handling protocol makes no provision for error correcting.
 11. Themethod of claim 8 wherein; operably coupling a first data bus interfacebetween the first optical data bus and a given one of the plurality ofdata-based aircraft components further comprises operably coupling ashared data processor between the first data bus interface and the firstoptical data bus; operably coupling a second data bus interface betweenthe second optical data bus and the given one of the plurality ofdata-based aircraft components further comprises operably coupling theshared data processor between the second data bus interface and thesecond optical data bus; and operably coupling a third data businterface between the third optical data bus and the given one of theplurality of data-based aircraft components further comprises operablycoupling the shared data processor between the third data bus interfaceand the third optical data bus.
 12. The method of claim 11 wherein theshared data processor is configured and arranged to consolidate incomingdata from the first, second, and third data bus interfaces.
 13. Themethod of claim 12 further comprising: using the shared data processorto substantially average the incoming data from the first, second, andthird data bus interfaces to provide resultant averaged data to provideto the given one of the plurality of data-based aircraft components. 14.The method of claim 13 wherein using the shared data processor tosubstantially average the incoming data further comprises determiningwhether the incoming data from each of the first, second, and third databus interfaces is within a predetermined range of one another, and notusing incoming data from one of the data bus interfaces when incomingdata from one of the first, second, and third data bus interfaces is notwithin the predetermined range.
 15. The method of claim 11 wherein theshared data processor comprises a softwareless shared data processor.16. An aircraft data bus for use with data-based aircraft componentscomprising: a first optical data bus that is operably coupled to each ofa plurality of data-based aircraft components; second optical data busthat is operably coupled to each of the plurality of data-based aircraftcomponents, wherein the second optical data bus is discrete with respectto the first optical data bus; a third optical data bus that is operablycoupled to each of the plurality of data-based aircraft components,wherein the third optical data bus is discrete with respect to the firstand the second optical data bus.
 17. The aircraft data bus of claim 16wherein the first, second, and third optical data bus each comprises afull-duplex optical data bus.
 18. The aircraft data bus of claim 16wherein the first, second, and third optical data bus are eachcompatible with a common data handling protocol.
 19. The aircraft databus of claim 18 wherein the common data handling protocol makes noprovision for error correcting.
 20. The aircraft data bus of claim 16wherein the first, second, and third optical data bus each comprises aseparate ring-configured optical data bus.
 21. The aircraft data bus ofclaim 16 wherein the first, second, and third optical data bus are eachcomprised of plastic optical fiber.
 22. The method of claim 16 whereinthe first, second, and third optical data bus are each comprised ofpolymer optical film waveguide
 23. The aircraft data bus of claim 16further comprising: a first data bus interface that is operably coupledbetween the first optical data bus and a given one of the plurality ofdata-based aircraft components; a second data bus interface that isoperably coupled between the second optical data bus and the given oneof the plurality of data-based aircraft components, wherein the seconddata bus interface has been designed and manufactured independently fromthe first data bus interface; a third data bus interface that isoperably coupled between the third optical data bus and the given one ofthe plurality of data-based aircraft components, wherein the third databus interface has been designed and manufactured independently from thefirst and the second data bus interface.
 24. The aircraft data bus ofclaim 23 wherein the first, second, and third data bus interface areeach compatible with a common data handling protocol.
 25. The aircraftdata bus of claim 24 wherein the common data handling protocol makes noprovision for error correcting.
 26. The aircraft data bus of claim 23further comprising: a shared data processor that is: operably coupledbetween the first data bus interface and the first optical data bus;operably coupled between the second data bus interface and the secondoptical data bus; and operably coupled between the third data businterface and the third optical data bus.
 27. The aircraft data bus ofclaim 26 wherein the shared data processor is configured and arranged toconsolidate incoming data from the first, second, and third data businterfaces.
 28. The aircraft data bus of claim 27 wherein the shareddata processor is configured and arranged to substantially average theincoming data from the first, second, and third data bus interfaces toprovide resultant averaged data to provide to the given one of theplurality of data-based aircraft components.
 29. The aircraft data busof claim 28 wherein the shared data processor is configured and arrangedto determine whether the incoming data from each of the first, second,and third data bus interfaces is within a predetermined range of oneanother, and not using incoming data from one of the data bus interfaceswhen incoming data from one of the first, second, and third data businterfaces is not within the predetermined range.
 30. The aircraft databus of claim 26 wherein the shared data processor comprises asoftwareless shared data processor.
 31. An aircraft comprising: aplurality of data-based aircraft components; a first optical bus thatoperably couples to each of the plurality of data-based aircraftcomponents; a second optical bus that operably couples to each of theplurality of data-based aircraft components, wherein the second opticalbus is discrete from the first optical bus; a third optical bus thatoperably couples to each of the plurality of data-based aircraftcomponents, wherein the third optical bus is discrete from the first andsecond optical bus.
 32. The aircraft of claim 31 wherein the first,second, and third optical bus each comprises a ring-configured opticalbus.
 33. The aircraft of claim 32 wherein the first, second, and thirdoptical bus each comprises a full-duplex optical bus.
 34. The aircraftof claim 33 wherein the first, second, and third optical bus eachsupports a common data handling protocol.
 35. The aircraft of claim 34wherein the common data handling protocol makes no provision for errorcorrecting.